The only rejection by Vox – determined to link immigration with crime and poverty – will allow Congress to take into consideration the Popular Legislative Initiative (ILP) for the extraordinary regularization of more than 500,000 foreigners in Spain. The approval, which will take place this afternoon, implies starting the parliamentary process of the text, which could be modified through the amendments presented by the parliamentary groups both in the San Jerónimo race and in the Senate.
Specifically, Sofía Acedo, from the Popular Parliamentary Group, has advanced that they will put the Government “in front of the mirror” and that, therefore, they will give rise to this consideration, “so that it is addressed responsibly.” The PP had spoken out against it in recent days, although Cáritas’ express support for the ILP has led the popular parties to lift their veto on the proposal.
From the socialist side, Elisa Garrido has stated that the PSOE will vote in favor of the ILP because of the “respect” that this constitutional procedure of direct participation of citizens in legislative politics deserves and because they believe that it is necessary to “continue advancing in mechanisms that guarantee secure migration processes”.
The most discordant speech of the afternoon was given by the Vox deputy, Rocío De Meer: “We want Spain to continue being Spain and not Morocco, not Algeria, not Nigeria, not Senegal. And this is not hatred nor is it xenophobia, nor racism, it is pure common sense”, he assured, adding that the ILP is a “call effect” that, in the opinion of the ultranationalist group, damages society due to the increase in “crime and poverty.”
Gala Pin, from Sumar, has asked for the regularization of foreigners “for social justice, because no person is illegal.” Furthermore, she has stressed that, if the ILP is approved, “it is a mandate” and “the Government has to carry it out.” “For this reason, we hope that tomorrow at the latest a group will be created with the different ministries involved and that have powers, to be able to carry out this initiative and fulfill this mandate,” she added.
Also included in the yes bloc are the Galician Nationalist Bloc (BNG), Unida Podemos, the Basque Nationalist Party (PNV), EH Bildu, ERC and Junts
Specifically, up to 800 NGOs joined together in the ‘Esenciales’ project to demand extraordinary regularization of those foreigners in an irregular administrative situation who were residing in Spain before November 1, 2021. To do this, they have had more than 700,000 signatures that support the initiative.
The initiative had the support of Sumar, ERC, Bildu, PNV and BNG from the beginning, while PP and Vox spoke out against it and the PSOE insisted during the parliamentary debates that European legislation does not allow this type of process. The ILP was registered in the last legislature in Congress and since these initiatives do not decline even if the chambers are dissolved, their processing has been resumed.
In Spain, six extraordinary regularizations of migrants have been carried out, as Legalteam has recalled.
Between 1991 and 1992, with the socialist Government, an extraordinary regularization was launched that benefited 108,321. In 1996, with the PP through another extraordinary regularization process, 21,294 immigrants of the 25,128 who requested it obtained papers. In the year 2000, 244,327 foreigners requested regularization and 163,352 obtained documentation.
In 2001 it was called “regularization by roots” and granted papers to 239,174 immigrants of the more than 350,000 who requested it.
The last extraordinary regularization process was carried out by the Government of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, almost 20 years ago, in 2005, and in it more than half a million migrants obtained documentation.
